Hi-Grade Oil Co. was founded in 1924 by Burt E. Metcalf and E. C. Barnhardt who recognized the need for the delivery of heating fuel to homes in the surrounding area of Quincy, Ohio. The company began operation with one horse drawn delivery wagon equipped with a hand pump. Deliveries were made using a 5 gallon bucket to transfer product from the wagon to the customer’s home storage tanks. A bulk storage plant was built near the railroad train station so that bulk fuel could be received from rail cars.

In the years following the depression, fuel oil usage grew and replaced kerosene as the main heating source for rural homes. With the increased demand for products, Hi-Grade bought a new delivery truck that allowed for faster delivery of larger quantities of fuel to the consumer. In addition, a new 2 bay service station was built to provide full service automobile fueling for the community.

In 1955, Bob Melhorn, who had worked at Hi-Grade Oil for much of his young life, bought E. C. Barnhardt’s half interest in the company. Bert and Bob worked together until Bert’s retirement in 1980. Over those years, Hi-Grade made numerous changes, upgrades and additions to the operations. A significant change was Hi-Grade being tapped as the new marketing distributor for Pennzoil Lubricants.

In 1988, Bob Melhorn welcomed his son-in-law, Kent Witt, into the business. A new vision and growth opportunity emerged as the company expanded into the propane and commercial fueling business. New propane bulk plants were built in Quincy and Sidney. These modern facilities position the supply and distribution of the product so that the highest level of service could be made available to our customers. In addition, a commercial fueling facility was built in Sidney, to meet the needs and growing demands of local and regional businesses.

Hi-Grade Oil Co. was chosen in 2001 to be the authorized distributor for ConocoPhillips in west central Ohio. To accommodate the continued growth in the Pennzoil consumer products and the expansion of the ConocoPhillips lubricants line, a new 10,000 square foot warehouse/office facility was built in Sidney. This facility strategically positioned Hi-Grade Oil Co. to respond quickly and effectively to customer supply requirements.